30. Inspiration

Marinette was so intent in designing for her portfolio that she didn't hear her husband slip into the room. Therefore, she was not expecting him to lean over her shoulders and startle her.

He was laughing at it. "Scare you, bugaboo? I wasn't exactly being quiet."

She sighed, her heartrate steadily calming. "You know when I get into a design, everything else disappears."

"That I do," he assured. "What are you working on?"

"Just some portfolio pieces," she dismissed.

"Well, I knew that. What kind of pieces?"

Marinette looked down at the entire line that she had drawn out. "Formal wear inspired by our superhero costumes."

That piqued Adrien's interest as he reached towards one of the many pieces of paper scattered all over the desk. He examined the designs on it, which were several versions of a Chat Noir themed suit.

"I know I've done them before," Marinette said. "But with the superheroes being so big still, I thought it would be fun to do it one last time before retiring the idea all together."

"Make money off them while you can," Adrien teased.

Marinette chuckled. "More like… I feel like it's a last hoo-rah, you know? Like… like a sort of closure."

Adrien hummed before giving her shoulders a squeeze. "Well then, bug, I say go all out and don't hold back."

"That's the plan. But to be fair, when do I ever hold back?"

Adrien chuckled. "True." He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "You're really passionate about everything: designing, superheroing. You really throw your all into it. But that's just one of the things I love about you."

Marinette felt her face warm, along with her heart.

"I'll let you get back to it. I can start dinner."

"But it's—" Marinette froze when she looked at the clock. "It's five."

She could hear the smile in Adrien's voice. "Yes, it is."

"I've been at this for four hours straight already."

"Yes, you have. But just proves my point of how passionate you are."

She pushed away from her desk. "I can make dinner."

"Nah," Adrien dismissed. "You're on a roll. Don't let me stop you. I've got dinner. You can continue working."

She shot Adrien a smile. "Thanks, kitty."

"Anything for you, my lady."

31. Waiting On You

It had been a little over a year since Adrien and Marinette had defeated Butterlie and retired as superheroes. While they had originally planned to start up a family shortly after, they decided that it was better to wait. Between the counseling, Marinette finding a new job, and Adrien starting up an online university, they thought that bringing a kid into the mix was a little too much at the moment.

Until Alya announced that she was pregnant.

Adrien had been utterly thrilled for Nino, who was extremely excited at becoming a dad. But at the same point, Adrien was a little jealous. And one look at Marinette proved that she had been, too.

Hence why both of them were sitting on the couch at home, side by side, ready for that big talk.

"Do you think we're ready?" Marinette asked. "Like, obviously we both want kids, probably enough to not be having this conversation, but I think it's important."

"I agree," Adrien said. "But, at the same point… I think we're ready."

Marinette smirked. "Impulsive as ever."

"Well, yeah," Adrien admitted. "But think about it. I've been doing a lot better with the counseling and all. And I've started up schooling, and I feel stable and secure in my future and health. You; you're fine. You stopped going to counseling because you're healed enough to not need it anymore. You've got a job as a designer; you love it; things are going good for you. I think if we wait until everything's perfect, we're gonna be waiting a very long time. So, do I think we're ready? Yeah; yeah, I do."

Marinette's surprised expression gave way to one of amusement. "Someone's been thinking this over."

"Honestly, I couldn't stop thinking about it since we left Alya and Nino's place."

She chuckled before crawling into his lap. "This is the end of the conversation, isn't it?"

"Probably," Adrien answered with a smirk as he wrapped his arms around his wife.

"If I bring up any point, you're gonna tell me I'm over thinking, aren't you?"

"Bug, you know me so well."

"Even if I suggest we wait so that we can think without jealousy clouding our mind."

Adrien quirked a brow. "Are we ever not going to be jealous?"

Marinette paused, her lips pursed.

"You know I'm right."

With a grumble, she laid her head on his shoulder to avoid looking at him.

Adrien smirked, liking the feeling of winning that conversation.

"So," Marinette eventually said. "Are we starting tonight?"

His heart jumped in his chest as a smug smirk crossed his face. "Who says we have to wait for tonight?"

He shifted slightly so he could see his wife's face, watching as her cheeks turned red before burying her face into his shirt.

"I'm teasing," he said.

"No, you're not."

Adrien couldn't deny that.

"How, out of all the people in the world, did I end up falling in love with you?"

"Because I'm literally the yang to your yin."

Marinette giggled, coming out of her hiding spot in his shoulder to smile at him. "That's true."

It was two and a half months later that Marinette was showing him a positive pregnancy test.

Which meant that this was really happening. They were really going to be parents.

Which spurred Adrien's desire to sell his apartment and find a family home to move into.

"We should have thought about this earlier," Marinette commented as they were going through listings.

"Well, considering you're only about a month along, I think we are doing this in good timing. But just so you know, I'm not letting you do any heavy lifting when we move."

Marinette sighed. "Overprotective already?"

"Yes. Don't argue."

She giggled, wrapping her hands around his arm and leaning her head against his shoulder. "You're gonna be a good daddy."

He was going to be a dad. Holy crap, he was going to be a dad. The mix of panic and excitement was enough to make his head spin. "I'll give it all I have."

"I know you will," she assured in a sweet tone that was calming his nerves but ramping up his heart. "And you're gonna be a great dad."

His heart light from her genuine words, he leaned over to kiss her head. "Thanks, sweetheart."

"I love you," she said. "And our kids are gonna love you, too."

Adrien loved this woman; he was so lucky to have her. "I love you, too."

Marinette looked over her new house with some pride. It had taken some time to find the right house and pack up everything, but Marinette couldn't be happier. Especially since a baby would come in about three short months to fill the place with even more life.

Adrien slipped behind her, wrapping his arms around her belly. "What's got you lost in thought?"

"We own a house."

Adrien chuckled. "Yes, we do."

"Together."

"Yup."

"We have a baby on the way."

"Mm-hmm."

"And we aren't superheroes anymore. In fact, we haven't transformed in months."

"Yup and yup."

"Is this what normalcy feels like?"

Adrien laughed, giving her a squeeze. "Yes, I think so."

"It's weird."

"How?" Adrien asked, clearly amused.

"It's… normal. I feel like something crazy and unordinary needs to happen."

"What? Moving houses while you're six months along wasn't crazy enough for you?"

"Not really?"

Adrien shook his head, walking around her to kneel in front of her swollen stomach. "Hey, baby girl," Adrien said, his hands carefully cradling Marinette's abdomen. "Hurry up and get here. We're waiting on you to throw our normal lives into chaos."

Marinette chuckled before playfully smacking her husband. "Don't encourage her. I feel like she's going to be like you enough as it is."

"You say that like I'm the chaos causer."

"Well…"

With a chuckle, Adrien stood. "You know, whether this little one is easy or difficult doesn't matter, because I don't think we were suited for normal lives, anyway."

Marinette couldn't help but smile. "You're probably right. But honestly… I think I'm okay with that."